A hook in one hand,A lantern in the other
by Whazzdakka Da 3rd
Summary: The dreaded Chain Warden seeks to fill his lantern with the broken souls of Valoran's strongest. He will hold nothing back to achieve this goal.
1. Chapter 1-Labor in the forest

**_EDIT_**

**_Took some advice and re-uploaded the story. I now intend on adding to this. Please enjoy!_**

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Thresh sat in his lodging in the forest. He had taken up residence in an abandoned house not far from the Institute of War. It was a house of cobble with a roof of ruined wood. It was apparent that it had seen a great deal of time. Few rooms were built into the home: A working area, a storeroom, and a bedroom. Torches illuminated the inside of the building where Thresh spent his time. They were lit with the same phantasmal flame that was his body, obviously kept by some low grade of magic. Despite the magical flames, the house was lonely and gave a feeling of great fear from the outside.

He gazed at the chains that hung from his work table and the many hooks that were piled next to it. Taking one after browsing for a moment,he placed it upon a grinding wheel that sat adjacent to the table. He then began to pedal his foot; the wheel spun as intended and sparks flew from the metal against stone. He grinned at the sight of this, imagining who his next victims will be upon The Fields of Justice. He chuckled at the thought of entangling his enemy in his chains and pulling them closer and closer to their deaths. His train of thought was broken by a knock at the door.

The Warden stopped his pedaling and stood. He didn't like being interrupted when he was working, it angered him. He walked across the filth covered floor of stone to the door and opened it to reveal the Noxian champion Katarina. Thresh frowned at her and realized that she was there to retrieve her blades. Thresh had taken up doing small repairs on other's various items for gold. It was a simple enough job for one who worked often with metal. Without a word, he turned and went back further into his home. He entered a room next to his work area where he stored the weapons and trinkets of the few who came to him. It did not take him long to locate the case in which all of Katarina's daggers were stowed.

He picked up the case and returned quickly to the doorway where Katarina stood waiting. She looked at him expectantly as he presented the case. Opening it, she examined her many knives as someone would look over their most prized possessions. She looked back at him and nodded before closing it.

"You do fine work Thresh. I'm glad I came to you," she stated sincerely.

"I am more than happy to sharpen the tools of one so capable."

Thresh never did figure how Katarina discovered his abilities in metal working. Perhaps there were loose lips within the Institute of War that spoke of the Warden and his past.

She presented a small pouch of coins which Thresh gladly accepted, then left as quick as she arrived. He stared at the small bag of gold and began planning how he was to distribute it amongst his needs. Money was a hindering necessity that he despised. Specifically, he would require it for forging materials and paying something of a fee for living near the Institute of War.

Thresh gazed out into the forest outside his doorway. He had been inside longer than he thought; night had cast its dark blanket over the land and the forest was peaceful. He scoffed at this and slammed his door shut. Thresh did not require sleep, he did not require peace, and he did not want it. He enjoyed the madness that haunted him, his hunger for souls was merely another motivation to kill and rip the life from the living. He returned to his hook and wheel, spinning it for the remainder of the night.


	2. Chapter 2 - Memory and a Mundo

Thresh entered his room and took a seat on the bed, taking note of the sunlight that crept in through the tiny cracks in the wall. Looking at the floor around him, he found his lantern and sat it in front of him. The souls of many floated within, all in pain. He knew every one of them well. They were his sustenance, they were his priority above all else. Without the souls of the living, he would cease to exist.

He opened the top half of the lantern and reached in with his bony claw; grabbing one soul in particular. He smiled as he raised it up to his face, looking into the memories of the damned victim. It was one of the inmates that aided in the death of the Chain Warden. Thresh smiled at the soul.

"My…how things have taken a turn for you."

Thresh remembered the hunt for this one so long ago. The look of dismay on the man's face during his final moments made Thresh smile. The location of the kill was a sewer of some forgotten city centuries ago. He fell into reminiscence...

_Thresh loomed through the dank darkness of the sewer, seeking his target. The fool had been running from him for days, but the Warden would not cease his hunt until he retrieved what was rightfully his. His chains scraped along the floor as he closed in on the final resting place of his next victim. A malicious grin formed along the Warden's face as he neared him. It was a one way tunnel closed off by a large grate. Thresh could see the coward at the end, cowering in a corner. There was no light except for the glow of Thresh's body. He slid his large hook along the wall and began to chant._

_"Cling Clang, go the chains, someones out to find you..."_

_He progressed down the hall, grinning as he does so._

"_Cling Clang, go the chains, the Wardens right behind you..."_

_He was close enough to hear the heavy breathing of his target. It only made him smile even more. The man would yelp in fear with every scrape of the hook along the wall. Thresh's terrifying figure came closer and closer to him._

"_Cling clang, oh the chains, the last sound that you'll hear..."_

_He stopped and looked upon the cowering fool, only before flinging his chained hook at him. The man cried out in terror-_

Thresh was knocked from his memories by a pounding at his door. Angrily, he put the soul away and closed his lantern. He placed it in its original position and stood. The pounding on his door persisted, this angered him greatly. Thresh had a very limited patience. He quickly strode to the door and opened it only to find himself looking up at the wild-haired and purple skinned champion Mundo.

Thresh was almost completely baffled by the visitor. He quickly made the assumption that he was there to have something done to his cleaver. The warden also remembered the insufferable speech patterns Mundo used.

"Mundo was told you good at weapon fixing!" followed by a loud slurp.

Thresh cringed and covered his face from the spit that followed Mundo's words. There was a pause.

"Yes. I am skilled in metal working. What do you want?" trying little to hold back his disdain.

Mundo slammed his cleaver into the ground carelessly at Thresh's feet.

"Mundo want that fixed so I can chop good! Mundo have gold!"

Thresh looked at the weapon and took full notice of its poor condition. It was dull, bent, and the handle looked as though it would fall off at any second. He finished examining it and looked back up at Mundo.

"How much will you be offering?"

"Uhh."

Mundo began to search his pockets and pulled out a tiny pouch. Thresh raised an eyebrow at it before Mundo began to untie its binding. He emptied it into his large, purple hand. A small stone fell out, glowing an eerie red. Thresh took an immediate interest in it, seeing how it was a soul stone.

"Mundo was also told you like these shiny rocks!" another slurp.

Thresh continued to wonder who was telling everyone about him. Although it was no secret he required souls.

"Yes...that will be sufficient payment."

The Warden quickly grabbed the stone from the large hand of the doctor. Examining it closely and determining the owner of the soul encased in the stone. But Mundo interrupted him again.

"OH! Mundo also was told to give you this!" he said as he withdrew an envelope from another pocket.

Thresh took the envelope with his free hand, while still examining the stone. Mundo began to stomp away, obviously having nothing else for Thresh. He retrieved the cleaver and carefully brought inside. He sat the envelope on his table with the cleaver and retreated to his bedroom with the stone in hand.

He stared at the soul stone, and then began to focus on it. He saw nothing, as if something was preventing him. There were no sounds or memories, only black nothing. Thresh looked at it inquisitively. Perhaps this could be a new challenge for him. He enjoyed snapping the minds of others; perhaps a puzzle could present itself a similar process.


	3. Chapter 3 - Confusion with Work

**A note on updates, I will not be uploading as regularly as some may want. I am still trying to make my writing better, and I seem to be having trouble doing so.**

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Darkness…this was all that Thresh could ever see when trying to access the soul stone. Whoever sealed it must be one of great power. No matter how hard he tried, the Warden was unable to reveal its secrets. He scoffed and sat the stone on his bed.

Thresh stared at the stone. Someone obviously had to have sent it with Mundo. One does not simply stumble across something so precious. He chuckled at the thought of the Neanderthal actually finding it along some path in the forest. This brought him to his questions of "Who in the institute is speaking of Thresh?" and "Who is taking a particular interest in him?"

But these were questions for another time. Thresh had work to do and he was not going to let idle daydreams get in the way. He stood from his bed and entered his work room.

Hours passed as Thresh worked on Mundo's weapon. It was certainly difficult enough to get it looking like a proper cleaver again. As the Warden worked his craft upon the weapon, he wondered how many lives it had claimed. How many souls had Thresh retrieved as a result of the cleaver at work? He smiled grimly at the thought of the many souls bouncing around the Fields of Justice. It was thoughts like these that made repairs and weapon crafting all the more enjoyable.

It was not long before Thresh had finished his work. He lifted the massive cleaver and heaved it to his storeroom for safekeeping. He smiled and nodded before walking to his room. He took his place on the bed next to the stone; he picked it up and gazed into its red glow. He tried once again to break its shield by focusing as hard as he could, but to no avail.

The Warden surrendered to the stone and merely looked at it. He could not imagine what would be able to resist his power. He had broken so many other souls before, why was this one any different? He quickly retrieved his lantern and opened it. Looking at all of the other souls, he smiled after dropping the stone inside.

"There, that should be a suita-"

Thresh stopped himself from speaking after noticing the change in color of his lantern's light. It now glowed red instead of its usual green. He looked at it, completely bewildered.

"How odd…"

He raised the lantern and examined it. All of the souls floated about as they usually did; only they seemed calmer. As if something was soothing them. Thresh made the assumption that the stone was to blame for it.

_Would this affect my collecting?_ He thought to himself.

_What is this stone?_

He shook his head and lowered the lantern to his belt, hooking it. He entered his working area and retrieved the note Mundo had delivered earlier. He recognized the seal of the Institute and quickly opened it, unfolding the letter and reading it.

_September, 8__th__, 22 CLE_

_Dear Champion Thresh,_

_ You have been chosen by a summoner to participate in a League match. It will take place on September 12__th__ 22 CLE. This is a political bout between Noxus and Demacia, you are fighting for Noxus. Please bring yourself to the institute of war or be denied the opportunity of representation. We look forward to seeing you._

_Adjudicator-_

The last name seemed to be rubbed away from the letter. Thresh frowned and raised an eyebrow. He folded the letter back up and placed into his coat, he then turned and entered his storeroom to retrieve Mundo's cleaver.

"Looks as though I am to make a delivery," he said to himself.


End file.
